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LedBy Shepreneur

Bridging the gap between entrepreneurial talent and the mainstream ecosystem

Applications for 2026 will open soon

Nominate yourself now for LedBy Shepreneur 2026 here

52% of India’s population is entering entrepreneurship, but Muslim women remain significantly underrepresented

*Source: Grey Journal

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For the first time,
A program by LedBy, built for Indian Muslim women entrepreneurs

The LedBy Shepreneur Program empowers Indian Muslim women (IMW) entrepreneurs with the skills, networks, and resources to scale their businesses and access formal incubators, accelerators, and funding opportunities

Program Offerings

Hybrid Learning Experience

40+ hours of virtual sessions and offline exhibitions designed for
real-world business growth

Personalized
Mentorship

One-on-one guidance from industry experts tailored to your business
needs

Engaging Events & Exposure

Networking meetups, exhibitions, and “Shark Tank”-style pitch opportunities

Pan-India Network

Connect with a vibrant community of Muslim women entrepreneurs from across India

Pathway to Growth Platforms

Support in applying to top incubators and accelerators like T-Hub, The/Nudge, and more

Program Details

Cohort Based Learning

A cohort will have a batch size of approximately 40 shepreneurs

Virtual Learning, Local Impact

The entire program is designed to be virtual, followed by in-person exhibitions in your city

4 month - long Program

The program is held over 4 months with two sessions per month.

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Invest in Your Growth...
This is a paid program with a one-time participation fee of INR 4,000

The actual cost of the program is INR 20,000, but we’re offering it at a highly subsidized one-time fee. This contribution ensures a powerful, resource-rich experience with access to premium resources.
You only pay the fee after you're selected.

Curriculum Details

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Entrepreneurial Mindset, Values & Ecosystem Awareness

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Scaling Up & Governance

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Money Matters: Financial Confidence Labs

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Managing Self & Managing Others

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Fundraising & Ecosystem Navigation

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Islamic Faith-Aligned Leadership & Entrepreneurship Design

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Customer Development, Branding & Market Strategy

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Pitching & Storytelling Labs

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Professional Ethics in Events & Exhibitions

Eligibility Criteria

  • You identify as an Indian Muslim Woman founder, 20+ years old

  • Running a registered business for atleast 2 years or more

  • Owning at least 33% equity (or operationally leading the venture even if ownership is shared with family/spouse)

  • Revenue-generating with an existing customer base

  • Ambitious to scale nationally or internationally

If you answered YES to all of the above, you are eligible to apply

Know your Mentors

Ms. Sadaf Alyani is a results-driven Operations and Sales Manager with proven expertise in optimizing business processes, driving growth, and leading high-performing teams. Skilled in strategic planning, customer relationship management, and operational efficiency, she excels at identifying market opportunities, implementing sales strategies, and ensuring seamless end-to-end operations across diverse industries. Beyond her corporate achievements, she is deeply committed to social work, focusing on community development, education initiatives, and women’s empowerment. Currently, she is exploring a vegan lifestyle under the mentorship of a guide and collaborating on social projects with PAN, PETA, LedBy, and GYF 2025, reflecting her dedication to creating meaningful impact in both business and society.

Sadaf Alyani

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Executive Assistant to CEO at D. Navinchandra Jewels

Meher Afroz is the Partner Engineering Manager for Core Business Services in Cloud and AI, leading high-performing engineering teams focused on envisioning and delivering Microsoft’s Digital Transformation. In her current role, she is accountable for building world-class experiences that enable Microsoft to achieve more and showcases Microsoft Cloud as the best platform for the enterprise. Prior to Microsoft, Meher held several technology leadership positions with GE. She established technology centers of excellence and built experiences that enabled the enterprise. She graduated from General Electric’s prestigious Experienced Information Management Program. Meher started her career as Software Engineer in the Tata Group. She is a proud alumni of the Indian School of Business. She is very committed to Inclusion and is the Exec Sponsor of Diversity & Inclusion for Microsoft’s India Development Center. She strives to create environments where every person is valued for their authentic self and able to do their best work. She is also a strong advocate for Women in STEM.

Meher Afroz

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CTO - GreenEarthX

Azmat Ali Mir

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Cultural Entrepreneur | Restaurateur - Founder @sarposhfoods | IIM-A & IIM-B

Rawan Khaldoun

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Entrepreneur & Business Development Leader | Contributing to Global’s Venture Capital firms

Samia is a finance professional adept at delivering actionable insights to clients and senior management. In a career spanning 15 years, Samia has worked across credit risk analysis, business intelligence, strategy and business consulting. She has worked closely with C-suite executives, analysed data, prepared business performance reports and assessed financial viability of projects and credit risk among other things. She holds a masters in business administration (MBA) and a bachelor’s degree in engineering (BE). She strives to live in a world of fresh starts, of innocence, justice, positivity and where the present is at peace with the past, as well as the future"

Samia Ansari

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Vice President - Global Credit, RBC Capital Markets

Janeesha Singh

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Senior Associate at Trilegal

A passionate advocate for the power of networks and collective action to transform education outcomes, Aashti is the Founder and CEO of Global Schools Forum, a catalytic community, innovation accelerator, and partnership builder that currently supports over 170 education organisations across 64 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Collectively, the network extends to over 1.2 million schools and ECD centres and reaches 130 million children with safe quality education. Aashti previously worked at the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, U.K. Department for International Development, the World Bank and at the American Institutes for Research. She is a Fellow at Forward Institute and an Adviser at the LedBy Foundation and CommonTime.

Aashti Zaidi Hai

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Founder and CEO, Global Schools Forum | Georgetown University

Simeen Kaleem is co-founder and Director at Gramhal, an organization that builds the agency of farmers in India. She hails from Aligarh, a small town in U.P, India, and is passionate about promoting gender rights and developing local solutions that empower marginalized communities. Simeen has worked across tri-sectors on a wide range of issues of agriculture, adolescent health, sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls, and transgender rights. Prior to joining Gramhal, Simeen was the country manager for the University of Chicago's research program in India, where she led efforts of devising country strategy and operations for a rights-based approach for the improved sexual and reproductive health of adolescents. Simeen is a strong advocate of carving spaces for women leadership and was the Students' Union President at her graduate school. For her potential to bring about positive change, Simeen was awarded the Young India Fellowship in 2013. Simeen has an undergraduate degree from Miranda House, University of Delhi and holds a master’s degree in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India.

Simeen Kaleem

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Co-founder, Gramhal | Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, Saïd Business School

A visionary social entrepreneur and TEDx speaker, Rubina is the Founder & Director of SAFA, an NGO transforming marginalized communities through education and livelihoods since 2008. Her work has impacted over 80,000 youth and women, equipping them with skills, connecting them to welfare schemes, and creating sustainable income opportunities. Under Rubina's leadership, SAFA has launched two pioneering social brands—Artizania and Luqma—focused on dignified livelihoods for women. With four skill training and livelihood centers in Hyderabad, the organization continues to foster inclusive communities and economic independence. Rubina's professional journey spans over three decades, including founding the Explorer Travel School (2000–2007), a first-of-its-kind professional travel education institute in Andhra Pradesh, and gaining international experience as a travel professional in the Middle East (1988–1999). She is the recipient of several prestigious honors, including the Sadguru Gnanananda Fellowship, Digital Women Award, Samvidha Award, FICCI FLO Woman Achiever Award, Pride of Telangana Award, and the Australia Award. Guided by her belief that empowered women are key to building strong, inclusive nations, she continues to champion women’s economic participation as a catalyst for lasting social change.

Rubina Nafees Fatima

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CEO & Founder @ SAFA | Social Entrepreneurship

Azeera is a senior banking leader with a decade of experience driving multibillion-dollar transformations across APAC. She has worked across three countries and managed complex organizational transformations ranging from divestitures to large-scale efficiency programs. Currently, she is Senior Vice President and a Business Execution Lead for Transaction Banking at Citibank, overseeing strategy and execution across nine Asian markets. She is recognized for turning corporate strategy into measurable outcomes and for leading change through cross-functional influence in multicultural environments. Outside work, she is an avid reader interested in how sustainable social good emerges at the intersection of policy, design, implementation rigor, and behavioral psychology.

Azeera Azeez

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Senior Vice President, Business Management - Citi Financial Services

An experimenter in the civic-technology space, Antaraa Vasudev is the Founder of Civis, a non-profit platform which works to enable effective dialogue between Governments and citizens, on draft laws and policies. She has previously worked at the international non-profit Asia Society, where she handled policy related public education programmes and Track-II dialogues between Ministers in the Union Council of Ministers and Kevin Rudd (Former Prime Minister of Australia). In addition to her work at Asia Society, she volunteered for the global civic-technology platform Democracy.Earth. She started her career understanding how technology can drive civic engagement during India's general elections. She is driven to help build trust between citizens and government through the use of technology. She is a part of Forbes' Asia 30 Under 30 Class of 2021 and an Ashoka Fellow.

Antaraa Vasudev

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Founder at Civis | Ashoka Fellow | Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia

Arjumand Abdullah

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Founder, Your Sister in Islam | Life Coach for Muslim Women

A Bahraini-Canadian culinary virtuoso and esteemed Chef, Suman Ali’s journey weaves together a rich tapestry of international and Canadian culinary experiences. She has been a Culinary Partner at Bar Mordecai - listed among North America’s Best Bar Concepts -where she introduced elevated Bahraini cuisine in a contemporary setting. Chef Suman champions the inclusion of more women in leadership roles within the culinary, hospitality, and tourism realms. Her impressive portfolio spans collaborations with luxury brands, hotels, resorts, and renowned restaurant groups, including Fairmont, Hyatt, Hilton, Hawksworth, Iconink, and C-Suite Corporate Food Tech. She was also a featured chef on the James Beard–nominated Canadian food docu-series “From the Wild.” Her personal brand, House of Khaleej, offers exclusive culinary experiences across Canada, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. One of her most recent works—a culinary art installation at Toronto Pearson International Airport—showcases Canadian landscapes and bounty with a Middle Eastern flare, making her the first chef in Toronto and the Khaleej region to collaborate on such a project with Take Your Seat x Terrawoods Muskoka. Beyond the kitchen, Chef Suman is a fervent advocate for gender diversity and empowerment. She is a founding member and angel investor in the globally recognized GetPlaybook App, which accelerates career and educational growth for women across industries.

Suman Ali Sayed

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Award Winning Chef & Educator

Tanya is a story seeker, a story spotter, and a story coach. She believes that behind every powerful pitch, product, or presentation, there lies a story waiting to be told, and told well. With nearly two decades of experience, Tanya has worked across corporate boardrooms, social sector organizations, and startups, helping leaders find their voice and tell their truth. Before becoming a storytelling coach, Tanya spent years leading learning and development across two major corporates, managing large teams spread across Indian states. She also held a business partnership role in the Indian office of a global training firm headquartered in the Netherlands. But what she remembers most are the people, their untold journeys, and the power of helping someone say what they’ve always meant to say... but better. Tanya draws inspiration from poet Muriel Rukeyser’s words: “The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.” And that’s exactly the space she holds... coaching CXOs, product managers, people leaders, and individuals to shape work stories, data stories, product/service stories, personal brand stories, and innovation pitches that not only inform but move people. Her storytelling approach is deeply rooted in presence, curiosity, and kindness... whether she’s teaching business storytelling at ISB, running leadership sessions, or helping a founder share their pitch with heart. Because Tanya believes that when stories are told well, people don’t just listen... they lean in, remember, and act.

Tanya Bhattacharya

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Business Storyteller & Story Coach @ Storywallahs

Deema Alayedh is the Founder & CEO of Dirwaza, a Saudi creative house and fashion platform that spotlights independent designers and cultural storytelling. She is a Misk 10X Saudi Leader, an advisor and mentor at Nuqsh, and a sustainability ambassador at Aramco. Deema is also pursuing an International MBA at emlyon Business School with a focus on leadership, innovation, and global entrepreneurship. Recognized for her vision and commitment, she has represented Saudi Arabia in prestigious programs including the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) on fashion entrepreneurship.

Deema Alayedh

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Founder and CEO, Dirwaza | Misk 10X Saudi Leader | Investor | INSEAD

Hailing from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Abrar Ali Saiyed has always been fascinated by unique business practices. A Fellow in Management from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Abrar has combined rigorous academic training with a passion for research and teaching. As an experiential learning-focused educator, Abrar has taught at top business schools and was honored with the Chairman’s Award for Teaching at Ahmedabad University in 2019. Their teaching methods have been featured in leading national newspapers and an upcoming book on the future of management education.

Dr. Abrar Ali Saiyed

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Senior Lecturer & Professor, Adam Smith School of Business - University of Glasgow

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"As a Muslim woman entrepreneur, I often felt invisible in mainstream spaces. The Shepreneurs program not only gave me exposure but also the right guidance and mentorship to grow my business with confidence. LedBy opened doors I never thought existed"

Sidrah Noor | Founder - Color Trails
LedBy Inaugural Shepreneurs 2024

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